On 11 October 2021, the Real Property Amendment (Certificates of Title) Act 2021 commenced, which abolished the Certificates of Title (CTs) and the control of the right to deal (CoRD) framework. All existing CTs have been cancelled and CTs will no longer be issued. Existing CTs will not need to be produced, and CoRD holder consent will not be required, for a dealing or plan to be registered. All existing Guidelines subject to this change are currently being reviewed and will be updated to reflect these changes. For further information regarding the abolition of CTs, please see https://www.registrargeneral.nsw.gov.au/property-and-conveyancing/eConveyancing/abolition-of-certificates-of-title

Dimensions

See clause 63(1)(f) and (1)(g) Surveying and Spatial Information Regulation 2017. 

Length 

Lengths are to be expressed as metres or parts of a metre correct to 3 decimal places.

The symbol “m” must not be shown.

Lengths of less than one metre must be preceded by a '0', e.g. 0.75.

Omit '0' where it is the last character of a length to the right of the decimal marker, e.g. 20.150 will be expressed as 20.15 and 200.000 will be expressed as 200.

Bearings

A bearing is expressed as degrees ( ) minutes ( ' ) and seconds ( " ) and should be shown as measured.

Height

Clause 13(1) Surveying and Spatial Information Regulation 2017 requires that all levels must be related to AHD or such other datum as is approved by the Surveyor General.

Heights should be expressed as a Reduced Level (RL) and accurate to 3 decimal places as shown in the examples in the Surveyor-General’s Directions No. 7, eg. RL 27.253.

Area

Areas for lots must be provided in accordance with the Lodgment Rules as follows:

  • areas of less than one hectare must be expressed in square metres, accompanied by the symbol 'm²'
  • areas of one hectare or more must be expressed in hectares (using not more than four significant figures) accompanied by the symbol 'ha' and
  • areas of 10,000 hectares or more must be expressed in square kilometres, accompanied by the symbol 'km²'. 

If a lot is in separate parts then each must have a part area. The total area of a lot must be shown within or related to the most significant part of the lot. It must be the exact mathematical total of the part areas of the lot shown on the plan.

Reduction ratio (scale) 

The scale will be expressed as a ratio e.g. 1:500. Plans must be prepared in a manner and scale that allows all details to be clearly reproduced by the copying processes used by the Registrar General.

All NSW legislation can be accessed at www.legislation.nsw.gov.au/